As activists gather, court denies request to halt San...

1of 6Valerie Harris, left, talks with Mitesh Patel on July 10, 2018 in Main Plaza. Harris is the aunt of condemned killer Christopher Anthony Young, who is scheduled to be executed July 17 for the 2004 murder of Mitesh Patel's father, Hasmukh “Hash” Patel.Photo: William Luther /Staff Photographer

2of 6Mitesh Patel, standing right, shakes hands with a reporter July 10, 2018, at Main Plaza while attorney Jeff Newberry listens to them. Patel is the son of 2004 murder victim, Hasmukh “Hash” Patel, whose killer, Christopher Anthony Young, is scheduled to be executed July 17. The younger Patel was in Main Plaza to show support for the people holding a news conference urging clemency for Young.Photo: William Luther /Staff Photographer

3of 6MacArthur Park Lutheran church senior pastor Paul Ziese speaks July 10, 2018, during a news conference at Main Plaza, calling attention to clemency efforts being undertaken for Christopher Anthony Young, who is scheduled to be executed July 17 for the 2004 murder of Hasmukh “Hash” Patel. Young’s sentence would be changed to life in prison without possibility of parole.Photo: William Luther /Staff Photographer

4of 6People hold a banner July 10, 2018, that says “Stop executions” during a news conference at Main Plaza, calling attention to clemency efforts being undertaken for Christopher Anthony Young, who is scheduled to be executed July 17 for the 2004 murder of Hasmukh “Hash” Patel. Speaking at the lectern is Christopher Young's aunt, Valerie Harris.Photo: William Luther /Staff Photographer

5of 6Mitesh Patel, second from right, listens to people speak during a news conference July 10, 2018, in Main Plaza, calling attention to clemency efforts being undertaken to save the life of condemned killer Christopher Anthony Young, who is scheduled to be executed July 17. Young was convicted in 2006 of the 2004 killing of Mitesh Patel's father, Hasmukh “Hash” Patel.Photo: William Luther /Staff Photographer

6of 6Mitesh Patel, right, listens to people speak during a news conference July 10, 2018, at Main Plaza in front of San Fernando Cathedral, calling attention to clemency efforts being undertaken to save the life of condemned killer Christopher Anthony Young, who is scheduled to be executed July 17. Young was convicted in 2006 of the 2004 killing of Mitesh Patel's father, Hasmukh “Hash” Patel.Photo: William Luther /Staff Photographer

As dozens of activists, friends and family of death row inmate Christopher Young concluded a rally Tuesday to draw attention to his plight, they learned a court had denied one of his final avenues of appeal.

Lawyers for Young, who is sentenced to death in the 2004 murder of beloved San Antonio convenience store owner Hasmukh “Hash” Patel, had filed the motion this month, arguing that a potential juror in the 2006 trial was struck from service based solely on her affiliation with a local Baptist church.

The Court of Criminal Appeals, though, refused to review the motion Tuesday, which was based on a legal technicality. They said Young’s lawyers have already had the opportunity to raise the issue of religious discrimination in previous claims.

Jeff Newberry, one of Young’s lawyers, said there are now few legal options remaining to halt the execution, scheduled for Tuesday. On Friday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole is expected to announce if it intends to support Young’s bid for clemency, which would reduce his sentence to life in prison. If it does, then it would go to Gov. Greg Abbott for a final decision.

Among those who have supported Young’s bid for clemency is Mitesh Patel, who was 22 when his father was killed. Patel said he was motivated to support Young’s request for clemency after learning Young has three underage daughters who would be without a father if Young is executed.

Young’s own father, Willard, was murdered when Young was 8 years old, putting Young on a downward spiral. Young joined The Bloods gang just months after his father was killed, according to court filings.

In the 14 years since Young killed Patel, Young has grown into a mature and caring man who feels great remorse for the murder, Young’s friends and family say. Young has said he would like to start a mentorship program to help youths who have been scarred by violence and may be inclined to join a gang.

Patel believes Young is a changed man. He said Young can do more good alive than dead by teaching children the dangers of violence and gang life.

“Nothing positive comes from his execution,” Patel said. “Even if he wasn’t remorseful, nothing positive comes from his execution. But the fact that he is remorseful and he wants to break the chain, it really is a disservice to everyone to deny someone the ability to be positive.”

“I can’t forget what he did 14 years ago,” Patel said later. “The facts are the facts. He did what he did. He acknowledges that.”

Patel’s father immigrated to the United States when he was a young man to help his parents, who owned a struggling farm in India. Hash Patel’s wife, Mina, and young daughter, Rinal, stayed in India for a while.

Hash Patel was a mechanical engineer — he had designed fire system sprinklers in India — but his degree didn’t help him in the U.S., so he worked a number of odd jobs before he bought the Mini Food Mart on East Southcross Boulevard.

Patel had owned the store for 16 years when, on the morning of Nov. 21, 2004, Young walked in and shot him. Earlier that morning, prosecutors said Young raped and kidnapped a woman before entering the store asking for money.

During the trial, a woman who was a member of a local Baptist church was struck from the jury pool. Some members of her church had worked in prison ministry, which prosecutors argued might sway the woman to favor the defendant.

On a number of occasions, Young’s lawyers have argued that prosecutors acted improperly by dismissing the potential juror solely on her religious affiliation without inquiring about her individual views — a claim the courts have denied.

Earlier this year, Young’s case captured the attention of more than 500 religious and spiritual leaders — including 109 from Texas and 11 from San Antonio. They released a statement calling on the state of Texas to give Young a new trial.

As Young’s execution date nears, the leaders continue advocating on Young’s behalf. In coordination with the Texas Coalition Against the Death Penalty, they planned Tuesday’s news conference to draw more attention to Young’s case.

The religious leaders say they do not necessarily share the same views on the death penalty. Some oppose it, others do not.

“What unites us, and the reason we are moved to issue this joint statement, is our belief that no individual should be discriminated against based on his or her religious affiliation,” the Rev. Paul Ziese, pastor of MacArthur Park Lutheran Church, said Tuesday, reading from a statement signed by 16 other religious leaders.

Those leaders called on Texas to grant Young a new trial. Young’s legal team, meanwhile, had asked for a stay of execution, though in previous appeals they had argued for a new trial.

Patel, along with several members of Young’s family, also attended the news conference. Young’s aunt Valerie Harris, a pastor in Houston, gave an impassioned speech on the power of love and forgiveness.

“The man who went into the prison 10 years ago is not the same man,” Harris said. “He is a changed man.”

“I would trade myself any day of the week for Christopher Young,” Harris added. “I know his passion to save the world.”

Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice enterprise reporter for the San Antonio Express-News, delving into homicides, police-community relations, officer-involved shootings, capital punishment and officer misconduct. Previously, Emilie worked for two years at The Cincinnati Enquirer covering child poverty, business and breaking news.

Her work has been honored in the Hearst National Journalism Awards and the Society of Professional Journalist’s Region 11 Awards, among others. In 2015, she was one of 30 students, out of 1,150 nationally, selected to participate in the Hearst 55th Annual National Journalism Awards Championship. Her work has been published by USA Today, NBCNews.com and The Center for Public Integrity, among others.

A native Californian, Emilie attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University, where she graduated magna cum laude and was the school's commencement speaker.